Renowned but controversial photographer Sally Mann has published a deeply personal memoir titled "Art Work: On the Creative Life," offering readers an intimate glimpse into her decades-long career marked by both artistic triumph and public scrutiny. The book, released on September 9, chronicles Mann's journey through creativity, loss, and the numerous challenges she faced as a photographer who refused to compromise her artistic vision.
Published by Harry N. Abrams, the memoir is richly illustrated with Mann's photographs, personal journal entries, and letters that add both immediacy and emotional depth to her narrative. The publisher describes the work as containing "thought-provoking insights about the hazards of early promise; the unpredictable role of luck; the value of work, work, work, and more hard work; the challenges of rejection and distraction; the importance of risk-taking; and the rewards of knowing why and when you say yes."
Throughout her career, Mann chose to remain in her hometown area around Lexington, Kentucky, despite recognizing that leaving might have accelerated her path to success. In a recent interview with CBS Mornings, she explained her decision: "I did need to leave here if I wanted to have a successful career. [But] I didn't. And it just took me a little longer. I just stayed home and I made the work and I just made more work and I made more work and more work and pretty soon I had work that people couldn't ignore."
Mann's artistic vision was deeply rooted in her Southern heritage and environment. "I think I knew what I wanted my pictures to look like and what I wanted them to evoke," she told CBS. "It was a lot about the South and the complexity of the South and the dark underside of the South." This thematic focus became a defining characteristic of her photography, setting her apart from contemporaries who might have chosen more commercially appealing subjects.
The photographer's career has been marked by significant controversy, primarily stemming from her intimate photographs of her own children, including nude portraits taken as they grew up. These images have sparked intense debate about the boundaries between art and exploitation, with critics arguing they cross ethical lines while supporters defend them as profound explorations of childhood, family, and the human condition.
The controversy reached new heights earlier this year when Texas police seized some of Mann's photographs from an exhibition following complaints that they constituted child pornography. The state invested thousands of dollars in the investigation, including funding a police trip to New York City to search for her works at major institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Ironically, the photographs they sought weren't even on display at these venues, making their expedition fruitless.
Ultimately, Texas authorities returned the confiscated photographs and dropped all charges, but the incident highlighted the ongoing tensions surrounding Mann's work. While her nude photographs of her children remain her most controversial pieces, much of her family photography from that period consists of more conventional domestic scenes that capture the everyday moments of childhood and family life.
Early in her career, Mann faced rejection from art dealers who dismissed her work as too "domestic," predicting it wouldn't sell in the commercial art market. This criticism stung deeply, as she admits in her memoir. "I took it so personally," she recalled, describing how the rejection affected her confidence and determination. However, rather than changing her artistic direction to meet market demands, Mann persevered with her vision.
The memoir details how Mann overcame these early setbacks and rejections, ultimately building a reputation that made her work impossible for the art world to ignore. Her persistence in creating authentic, personally meaningful work eventually paid off, establishing her as one of America's most recognized contemporary photographers, even as controversy continued to follow her career.
"Art Work: On the Creative Life" is now available in hardcover, offering readers a comprehensive look at Mann's artistic philosophy, personal struggles, and the price of creating uncompromising art in a world that often demands conformity. The book serves as both a memoir and a meditation on the creative process, providing insights that extend beyond photography to the broader challenges faced by artists committed to their vision.
